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In spite of Bryn Terfel's towering presence and astounding vocal performance in the title role, this semi-staging of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd was mostly a dire mess.
In truth, some of the problem lies in the work itself, which has no heart whatsoever. Hugh Wheeler's book, which is based on a play by Christopher Bond, is little more than the seedy story of a man's pursuit of revenge and his ultimate destruction both of himself and most of the other characters. As the evening draws on, it becomes ever more tedious to watch Todd slitting people's throats in his attempt to find his long-lost wife (who he ends up killing) and daughter (who he also nearly kills). Then Todd is himself murdered and it's all over. Who cares? It is very difficult to be concerned about any of these characters – Todd and his sidekick Mrs Lovett are repulsive murderers, Judge Turpin and the Beadle are scarcely any better, Anthony and Todd's daughter Johanna are bland, stock young lovers, and Tobias is just too crazy to warm to.
(...)
Thank goodness for Terfel, a storming presence in the title part. He sang nearly everyone else off the stage and halfway up the Thames, in particular giving a blistering account of 'Epiphany', his great monologue. 'My Friends' was delivered with sensuality and 'The Barber and His Wife' was suitably poignant, while 'Pretty Women' was the highpoint, Terfel singing sensitively in this duet with Philip Quast, the excellent Judge Turpin and the only other wholly satisfying performer on stage.
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